Storm and screen door



(No Model.) .l Y Y l I A. A

0.- o. MUBLLBR. v Y STORM AND SGRBBN D003.

l No. 550,995. y Patented Dee. 10, 1895.

HllliillimiiiiiiiSe TI.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO O. MUELLER'OF HENDERSON, MINNESOTA.

STORM AND SCREEN DOOR.

SPECIFICATION lforming part of Letters Patent No. 550,995, dated December 10, 1895. Application fata May s, '1895. srie No. 548,595. (No moda.)

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, Orro C. lvlUELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Henderson, in the county of Sibley and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Storm and Screen Door, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in combined screen and storm doors.

The object of the present invention is to provide a screen-door with removable panels of novel construction, whereby said door is adapted to be used either as a screen-door or as a storm-door. Y

Afurther object of this invention is to form the removable panels in such manner that they may be applied to and removed from the door without the aid of tools'.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the course of the subj oined description.

In order to accomplish 'the objects above enumerated, the invention consists in certain' novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and iinally embodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of a screen-door with a pair of my improved panels appliedto the lower portion thereof. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section through the mullion and stiles of an ordinary screen-door, showing the preferred form or size and ornamented in any manner desired.

In order to carry out vthis'invention and to provide for the attachment of the removable panels, the opposite side edges of the mullion l and the inner edges of the stiles are beveled or inclined inwardly or dovetailedas indicated at 4, this being the only alteration and change necessary from 'a screenldoor as ordi- Fig. 5 is narily constructed, and V'such alteration or change not being noticeable to the casual observer. i

The improved panel contemplated in this invention comprises two equal andp` similar sections or members 5,' meeting at their contiguous vertical edges, one of said sections having secured thereto a cleat or strip 6, which is adapted to overlap the corresponding edge of the other section in order to form a tight junction and prevent the admission of air, rain, &c. In order to still" further guard against the admission of air, rain, &c., between the panel-sections, the adjacent edges thereof are tongued and grooved, as indicated at -7, adapting said sections to have a slight movement toward and awayfrom each other without throwing their edges out of engagement. v Y

Secured to one of the `panel-sections and in close proximity to the upper and lower edges thereof are a pair of iiat or leaf springs 8, said springs being extendedto pass across or partially across the front face ofthe other panel-section, where said springs are slotted, as indicated at 9, to admit of the passage of securing-screws 10,-1which' hold and retain a cam-plate ll, one for each spring-plate, in place. The plates ll'are arranged outside of the springs, the latter being c'oniinedibetween said Vcam-plates and the outer surface of the panel-section. At its inner end the plate l1 isprovided with acam-shaped lug or proj ection' 12, the purpose of which will appear. Said plate ll is further provided on its rear face with a longitudinally-elongated and serrated boss 11%, adapted to "rest within the slot 9 in the spring 8 'and' bear against the panel for affordinga iirm support for the plate ll. The slot 9y of the'springis'made sufficiently longer than the .bossfllt of the, plate l1 to allow of a slight relative movement-be; tween said boss andspring andra correspond# ing lateral movementof the panel-sections toward and away from each other.

13 designates a pry or lever, one of which is used in connection with each spring at the top and bottom of the panel. Said lever is pivoted intermediate its ends and bears against the outer face of the spring 8. said lever is provided with a rounded facewla, which is adapt-ed to engage` theiouter vertical face of the cam lug or projection 12as said lever is vibrated, the effect of which is to ICO One endY of force the panel-sections apart at their adjacent edges. The operative faces of the lever and the lug or projection 12 are preferably serrated or roughened, as indicated, so that said lever may be retained in its operative position while the panel is in place upon the door. The opposite end of the lever is provided with an inwardlyextending catch-lip 15, which when the lever is reversed is adapted to engage the rounded-face 1G of the cam lug or projection l2 purpose of drawing gether.

The opposite side edges of the panel-sections are rabbeted, as shown, the angle of the rabbets being acute and thereby forming tapering or inclined side edges 17, which correspond approximately to the inclined or tapering side edges of the mullion a-nd stiles of the door. i

In operation the im proved panel comprising the two sections referred to is applied to the door in such manner that it will be engaged with either the mullion or one of the Stiles iirst. The opposite end of the panel is then pressed against or toward the door, overcoming the tension of the springs 8, which normally bow inward, as indicated in Figs. 2 and B y now vibrating the operating-levers at the top and bottom of the panel the sections of said panel may be spread apart until the tapering side edges 17 engage and bind against the mullion and one of the stiles of the door. The springs S by their tension serve to bind the panels more rmly in place and at the same time prevent the panel-sections from warping when not in use. In or the panel-sections toder to remove a panel, the operating-levers are reversed until the catch-lips thereof engage the cam lugs or projections 12, where'- upon the panel-sections will be drawn toward each other, and the panel as a whole may be removed from the door.

The panels as above constructed serve to materially strengthen a screen-door and keep the same in proper shape. It may be desirable at times to omit the upper panels of the door and to insert only the lower panels. This, while adding to the strength of the screen-door,protects the lower screens against injury, owing to the rough play of small children, the clawing of dogs, ac.

The panel constructed as above described will always retain its original shape and present a neat and attractive appearance. The improved panel, while especially designed for stormdoors, may of course be applied to doors of any description.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Let-ters Patent, is

on the plate 11, for the 1. A removable panel for doors, the same comprising two separate sections having a sliding connection with each other and provided with inclined or beveled side edges, in combination with a metal plate or strip extending across the faces of said sections and secured thereto in a manner which will admit of said sections being moved toward and away from each other, an operating lever pivoted to one of the sections, and a plate secured to the other section and provided with a lug or projection adapted to be engaged by said lever, Jfor the purpose and substantially as described.

2. A removable panel for screen doors, the same comprising two substantially similar sections connected with each other so as to be capable of a sliding movement whereby the panel as a whole may be expanded in width to fill the space between the mullion and stiles of a door, in combination with an expanding and contracting lever pivoted intermediate its ends to one of the panel sections and provided at one end with a rounded face or edge and adjacent to its opposite end with a lip, and a cam projection or lug secured tothe opposing panel section and adapted to be operated upon by said lever either for expanding or contracting the panel, substantially as specified.

3. A removable panel for doors, comprising separate sections, a spring metal plate extending across the faces of said sections and connecting the same so as to render said sections capable of being moved toward or away from each other, said plate being longitudinally slotted, in combination with a plate arranged outside of said spring plate and provided with an inwardly disposed elongated boss extending through the groove in the spring plate and bearing against the face of one of the panel sections, an outwardly extending lug or projection upon said outer plate, and an expanding and contracting lever pivotally mounted on the opposing panel section, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A removable panel for doors, the same comprising separate sections, a slotted spring metal plate connecting said sections so as to render the same capable of moving toward or away from each other, a plate secured to one of said sections by means of screws passing through the slots in said spring, an outwardly extending lug on said plate, and a lever connected with the other section and adapted to operate in connection with said lug for the purpose of moving said sections toward andA away from each other, substantially as described.

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In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OTT() C. MUELLEP. lVitnesses ALBERT T. MUELLER, IRA. V. WHITEMAN. 

